Entry #2,314 in which Carla expresses an unpopular opinion.

[morrigirl]

After watching this video, posted as a bulletin by one of my old high school friends on MySpace, I realize we've reached the point in this election cycle at which I must voice my support for all the adults in this country who have decided, for whatever reason, NOT to vote in November.

People seem to forget that voting is a RIGHT, not an OBLIGATION. Just because you possess the right to do something does not mean you HAVE to do it. I have the right to bare arms, but do I own a gun? No, I don't, because that is a right I do not have the need or desire to invoke. Women currently obtain the right to safe and legal abortions as an extension of their right to privacy. Does that mean every woman who gets pregnant is OBLIGATED to go out and have an abortion? No, it means she can CHOOSE whether or not it is something she wants to go through with.

Not a single person residing in the United States is OBLIGATED to vote. Contrary to what all the talking heads say, voting is not mandatory. If you do not honestly think any of the major or minor party candidates would make a good president, you do not have to vote. Let me say that again: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO VOTE. If each individual vote is as important as the media would have us believe then why go and waste it on a candidate you don't believe in?

Unlike the celebrities in the aforementioned video, I am not being sarcastic or condescending. I firmly believe that if you do not want to vote then you should not be coerced into doing so, nor should you let anyone make you feel bad for choosing not to exercise your rights. Because the right to vote includes the right NOT TO VOTE.

I support every citizen in the United States who will not be voting on election day because they deserve just as much respect as those citizens who will be headed to the polls.

Comments

[dpsycho.livejournal.com]

Your argument doesn't address the fact that the presidential choice is not the only thing being decided in the election. Sure, people do not have to vote, but not having a presidential favorite is not sufficient reason to avoid voting altogether. There are several more points being addressed by ballot in every separate jurisdiction, and it is more than likely that at least one of those decisions holds signifigance for any given individual.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but it's written as though we were only being asked to vote for a President and nothing else.

[morrigirl.livejournal.com]

You are completely correct, Chris. I actually tried to write this entry in general rather than specific terms, but it got a little unwieldy so I decided to just stick to the presidential election. Plus, in my experience, no one ever trots out the good old "if you don't vote you can't complain" argument over any election other than the presidential ones. When people bitch about other people not voting, that's the election they are usually getting their panties in a twist over.

[dpsycho.livejournal.com]

I'm reminded of the time our Junior year when there was an announcement of a forum for students to air concerns and points of contention with the housing lottery. Weeks later, there was an announcement of several changes going into effect that had been decided upon during that discussion. The vast majority of students cried foul, and someone responded by professing that since they didn't attend, they had no right to complain now. Someone else, rather level-headedly amidst a torrent of anger from all sides, pointed out the flaw that the forum only asked for those who were unhappy with things to represent themselves and that this specific minority had no cause to claim the ability to decide things without the input of those who weren't asked to attend.

So, yeah, the whole no-vote-no-complaining thing? Bleh.

[lightandwinged.livejournal.com]

When you write these obligatory quadrannual (?) rants, I kind of want to have your babies.

[gender-euphoric.livejournal.com]

I only agree if a lot of people staying home would be voting for The Other Guy(tm) at least at the prez level.
I am fascinated by local elections and won't hesitate to put my cheap two cents in regarding those.

[ninquark.livejournal.com]

I think this is an unpopular view because people are reactive rather than reflective to the idea of "not voting". By changing your word choice to "Abstaining" from voting, the clarification is made that you are willfully not voting for a specific, though perhaps not expressed, purpose. Just "not voting" carries along ideas of indifference, and that is clearly not what you are trying to communicate.

You mention that voting is a right, but not an obligation of citizens. I personally am an advocate of voting as both a right and a responsibility of a government decided by the people. And the substance of what you're saying here seems to coincide with this opinion, as you express that not voting still fulfills that civic duty. If a person is abstinent of their vote it communicates they are expressing that none of the given options are desirable.

You hit some really good points though, and it actually reminds me of human (especially child) psychology. For example:

I ask a kid, "Will you eat your brussel sprouts?"

"No," says the kid. She's given two options, yes or no. She chooses no. Smart kid, since she doesn't want to eat them.

Instead I ask the kid, "You can choose between brussel sprouts or asparagus. Which one do you want?"

When placed on the spot without time to think on it, people are less likely to decline something undesirable if given an option of multiple undesirables. Instead they'll pick the lesser of two evils, not considering other alternatives. This is a basic premise often used in the TV shows where they'd make people choose between eating cow testicles or maggot soup. Give people a lose-lose situation, and they often choose to lose.